Slightly Mad Studios barely dropped the news that they are working on an independent console to take on the next generation of consoles that the company's CEO, Ian Bell, released the first image renders of the console on Twitter:

Failed to fetch tweet https://twitter.com/bell_sms/status/1081170180582006785​

It seems like Bell could not hold his excitement to share these designs as images of early design builds were initially expected to be released in four to six weeks' time.

The console, called the Mad Box, is projected to ship in around three years and is being boasted as "most powerful console ever built" with 4K and VR support.

What do you think of those early designs? Some more fine-tuning is required or you'd be happy to own a console that looks like that?

UPDATE

After sharing the first render of the Mad Box, Ian Bell took to Twitter again to share some more possible looks of his company's upcoming console. Which one do you prefer?

Failed to fetch tweet https://twitter.com/bell_sms/status/1081774150803349504
Failed to fetch tweet https://twitter.com/bell_sms/status/1082036334015868929
Failed to fetch tweet https://twitter.com/bell_sms/status/1082233744797270016
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SOURCE

 

[zeveroth]

I feel like I'm the only one here who things the design is kind of awesome. Its different, and it sticks out. The current generation of consoles imo just look like plastic boxes, instead of interesting designs. I mean, look at the original PS3 or the Model 1 Sega Genesis. They broke the mold and still ended up looking pretty awesome.

TBH, I felt the og ps3 was fugly as s#@t

 

[guily6669]

Thats what it looks like, but I still don't think they will want to enter console wars with M$ and Sony with just a PC, I guess inside everything will be more like a console and also hard protected against pirating.

I'm keeping with my old PC from 2011, in the time on Next Gen consoles I will probably wait a bit more and rather make a new PC...

 

[Deleted User]

Honestly, seeing startups like these reminds me of the 5th generation of consoles, where everyone and their mother were trying to get into the industry. Granted, startups today have it a little easier, thanks to most systems using the x86-64 architecture, and with engines like Unity existing, but people still need a reason to go out and buy this. They can't really tout performance, since most performance-minded individuals are probably just going to opt for building a gaming rig from scratch.

That's straight-up a PC tower. An ugly one, but still, how are they calling this a 'console?'

Insert comment about modern consoles being basically modified gaming PCs here.

When they talk about creating games, they could try and sell it as an indie box. It'd be the only interesting selling point it could possibly make.

I feel that's already a niche that the Switch is quickly swiping up, and besides, it seems like this system is marketed more towards people who want to run more graphically-intensive games than people who want pick-up-and-play indies. Unless this system grabs some nice exclusives (unlikely, considering I had never heard of this Studio until I read this article), I don't see the system performing particularly well.

 

[guily6669]

LOL they made Project Cars 1\2 and worked on NFS Shift 1\2 and a few other games, they are not known for many time, but Project Cars probably everyone who like racing games heard of it since it spread to consoles to...

But yeah, its a galaxy far away from M$ or Sony brands...

 

[zoogie]

@Shubshub

Your console has arrived XD

 

[MeowMeowMeow]

Omg looks like a cheap ass pc led case. If I use this next to my chroma led keyboard mouse and mousepad I got a christmas tree.

 

[Justinde75]

get a load of this gamer gear

 

[the_randomizer]

Do we really need more consoles in an already-saturated console market? Wake me up when something unique that other consoles haven't done gets released.

 

[RedBlueGreen]

Why the fuck does it look like a cartoon cowboy hat? I'm certain it's just another linux based gaming PC being branded as a console.

I feel like I'm the only one here who things the design is kind of awesome. Its different, and it sticks out. The current generation of consoles imo just look like plastic boxes, instead of interesting designs. I mean, look at the original PS3 or the Model 1 Sega Genesis. They broke the mold and still ended up looking pretty awesome.

Those still ended up being rectangular though. This thing is way too tall and probably won't fit anywhere but the floor, and I doubt they're gonna put any rubber feet on to prevent scratches.

 

[Mr. Elementle]

I can almost guarantee that this things is gonna run a modified version of linux, and feature whatever steam games with linux support they can license, and some tech demo games that have cutting edge graphics for 2019, but will be out of date in 2021 when it releases.

 

[kuwanger]

That's straight-up a PC tower. An ugly one, but still, how are they calling this a 'console?'

Microsoft still calls the XBox One a console even after adding keyboard and mouse support. I mean, I know it's still locked down and sells relatively cheap for the hardware inside, but most consoles today are just PCs. It's unsurprising with the whole HD and now 4K race. PCs are king of performance, and there's really no competition on that front. Maybe that'll change with ARMs growth? I doubt it given that (1) it took Intel a long time to ramp up clock rate let along instructions per cycle and (2) you still need an AMD/nVidia GPU.

 

[RedBlueGreen]

Thats what it looks like, but I still don't think they will want to enter console wars with M$ and Sony with just a PC, I guess inside everything will be more like a console and also hard protected against pirating.

I'm keeping with my old PC from 2011, in the time on Next Gen consoles I will probably wait a bit more and rather make a new PC...

This thing will probably just be running linux so good luck blocking piracy. Even if they make some custom distro that prevents installing from unapproved sources (which I doubt they'll do, they'll probably just slap Ubuntu on it with some custom desktop environment if they even do that) all you'd have to do is install a regular distro, which you'll almost certainly be able to do unless they make a proprietary mobo that doesn't allow new OSes but that would be a ton of work and even then would likely be temporary. Even a Chromebook can be made to install linux, so this thing stands next to no chance against piracy.

 

[the_randomizer]

"The most powerful game console" yeah, it's called a PC.

 

[orangy57]

ahh lordy jesus in heaven it just looks like a prebuilt. What is their market for this thing? If it isn't a PC, this would look awful in a living room, so it can't compete with a living room console, and it would be lame to put in a bedroom. In a bedroom you'd want a PC, not this nonsense that'll probably run a console-based OS, seeing that it's marketed as a console. It's like the worst of both worlds already

 

[eriol33]

Is this basically ouya luxury edition?

 

[benson733]

It's ugly. I'll stick with PS5 or Xbox 4 XYZ....

 

[Pluupy]

It reminds me of Freezer Bunny from The Sims games.

 

[guicrith]

And it comes with this controller:

 

[ov3rkill]

Ouya 2.0. Hell yeah!

 

[Silent_Gunner]

OK, if you up and comers want to bask in the glory of being a part of the Fellowship of GabeN's First Church of Latter Day Gamer's Witnesses without forsaking the form factor of a console, here ya' go!

https://www.fractal-design.com/home/product/cases/node-series/node-202

I just wish I had gone with this as opposed to the Phanteks Shift for my current build that I plan on salvaging real soon here...

I feel like I'm the only one here who things the design is kind of awesome. Its different, and it sticks out. The current generation of consoles imo just look like plastic boxes, instead of interesting designs. I mean, look at the original PS3 or the Model 1 Sega Genesis. They broke the mold and still ended up looking pretty awesome.

It certainly is unique. Maybe even beautiful...kind of like a snowflake! /s

No, but in all seriousness, the first two models of the Genesis looked cool (the second one is personally my favorite from a design point of view, the only thing that has a right to be as big as the Genesis Model 1 is either the CDX or the JVC X'Eye), but the original PS3's design is just not transport friendly at all and is just an eyesore compared to the sleek and simple PS4. Hell, the gold one I have (that I don't want to sell but may have to for this next college semester) looks like a work from ancient Egypt!